Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an X-ray image photographing apparatus and a management method in which images that are unsuccessfully X-ray photographed are treated as unsatisfactorily photographed images.
Description of the Related Art
Film-screen systems in which intensifying screens and X-ray photographic film are combined together have been widely used for X-ray photography in medical diagnosis. A photography order requested by a doctor is returned to the doctor as X-ray film, and the doctor observes the X-ray film on an X-ray film observation device. In this case, in order to observe a diagnosis region easily, a density range in which observation can be easily achieved, such as a contrast range of about 1.0 D to 1.5 D, is set. However, if a deviation from photographic conditions occurs, overexposure or underexposure is likely to occur. This adversely affects diagnosis. Thus, unsuccessfully photographed film is not used for diagnosis. Such failure film is disposed of as unsatisfactorily photographed film.
In recent years, such film-screen systems have been replaced with X-ray photographing systems that acquire image signals from photostimulable phosphors accumulating X-ray energy or flat-panel detectors (FPDs) that convert X-ray beams into electric signals proportional to the intensity of the X-ray beams.
Such photographing apparatuses solve an existing problem of exposure control. In particular, by using an FPD, a user is able to check an image immediately after the image is photographed. Thus, the user is able to determine, without waiting for film development or without waiting for reading processing of photostimulable phosphors, whether or not photography is successfully performed immediately after the photography is performed, and the user is able to quickly retake a photograph for a photography order for which photography has been unsuccessfully performed. Thus, the waiting period required for persons who are exposed to X-rays and radiographers is significantly reduced.
When a digital X-ray photographing apparatus is used, if a photographed image is not appropriate, outputting the image onto film wastes resources and money. Thus, a medical printer described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-175771 and a system that stops an unsatisfactorily photographed image being distributed to an image server used for diagnosis are proposed.
In this case, preventing an unsatisfactorily photographed image from being transmitted to the image server is effective in reducing the load of a network and in reducing the amount of image server capacity used.
In known film-screen systems, a manager, such as a head radiographer or a chief radiographer, checks unsatisfactorily photographed film. Thus, the manager is able to check the number of unsatisfactorily photographed images from among a plurality of photographed images and the type of error a radiographer repeatedly makes, and thus, is able to supervise X-ray photography. In such a situation, radiographers carefully perform photography under strict supervision.
Using the digital X-ray photographing apparatus reduces the cost relating to unsatisfactorily photographed film, and this reduction in the cost contributes to hospital management. However, management of unsatisfactorily photographed images is not performed properly, and the number of unsatisfactorily photographed images is unclear. Thus, unsatisfactorily photographed images can be generated easily. That is, a subject is likely to be unnecessarily exposed to radiation, and such unnecessary exposure is detrimental to patient's health.